Acacia Australia Submits Bid For Nbn

Acacia Australia Submits Bid for NBN

Acacia Australia's Bid Chairman and founder of Telstra Countrywide, Doug Campbell today announced that Acacia Australia had lodged a submission to build and operate the National Broadband Network (NBN).

"The Acacia NBN will deliver broadband as a utility infrastructure to all Australians, following the same models used in the gas and electricity markets," according to Mr Campbell.

"Like gas and electricity, there will be a clear separation between the operator of the core infrastructure and the many retailers of services that run over that infrastructure.

"The Acacia model will provide all Australians with access to faster, cheaper broadband and a greater choice of services.

"Acacia has been developed to service national interest. There is no existing carrier in the team, and this allows Acacia to take a clean sheet approach to the NBN."

Features of the Acacia NBN include:
* Speeds of 12Mbps to 100% of Australia not 98% - at an affordable cost.
* An exclusively wholesale model - Acacia will not retail services.
* A technology mix, including fibre-to-the-home, fibre-to-the-node, wireless and satellite.
* A project team with deep expertise in all relevant aspects of telecommunication network design, construction and operation.
* A commercial return on the government's contribution.
* Supported by some of the world's leading technology companies including Fujitsu, Nokia- Siemens Networks and Juniper.
* Wholesale rather than retail returns to investors.
* A fair return for Telstra and other asset owners for use of their facilities.

Mr Campbell said the Acacia wholesale utility style model is emerging around the world as the preferred model for 21st Century broadband.

"The model is simple and effective and doesn't require the returns that a traditional telecommunications retailer expects," he said.

"Under our model the driver is affordable universal access to high quality broadband services for all Australians.

"We will let retailers fight for market share while we focus on building and operating a sophisticated, affordable broadband network.

"Under our model there are many winners. Australians win by having access to internationally competitive broadband, telecommunications retailers win by having access to affordable wholesale services and existing asset owners win because they get a fair return for use of their infrastructure. Everyone in the market benefits from having access to a larger broadband pie."

Mr Campbell said Acacia Australia's business model has attracted significant interest from financiers and infrastructure investors, and is committed to broad-based majority Australian ownership.

Contact:
Kelly Parkinson
0419-521-059

SOURCE: Acacia Australia